A review by willowbiblio
The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner by James Hogg

dark medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

"The truth is, that one lie always paved the way for another, from hour to hour, from day to day, and from year to year; so that I found myself constantly involved in a labyrinth of deceit, from which it was impossible to extricate myself."
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This was by no means bad, just fairly average for me. I wasn't engaged by this novel, but I can see how it would have been exciting for its time. I think knowing that Robert was clearly the murderer and his companion was either actually a devil or a literary device representing religious guilt etc. was given away way too soon. I did like how George and Robert were foils of one another. It really begged the question of nature vs. nurture. Robert grew up in a pious but judgmental and hateful household, while George grew up in a "wicked" but loving household. They turned out either opposite to as expected, or completely as expected depending on the readers' standpoint.


The dialect was hard to follow at times, which muddied some of the narrative. This book also explored how dangerous it is to be justified in the harms we visit upon others and the world. Refusing to think for ourselves and taking the easy road/being swayed can result in accepting leadership and guidance from those who pervert religious ideals to justify any and all wrongdoing, even murder.

It was interesting how the separation of George and Robert fostered Robert's hatred and jealousy, which ultimately led to both George Jr. and Sr.'s deaths. This was a very clear exploration of the concept of the sins of the father being visited upon his children, or however the saying goes.
 
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